TUI not allowing me to amend a flight unless I pay 70% amendment charges

Sandie11

Can anyone help, I have booked a holiday through Friendship travel for a part cruise part holiday for 17th May, the flights had to be paid for upfront through TUI, I have asked if I could move this holiday to next year, but they have told me that TUI will charge me an additional £500 to amend these flights, there charges are 70% of the flight cost.
Apparently no other airline are doing this.
This seems so unfair , and I will therefore have to cancel my holiday and lose my £500 deposit. (at the moment the holiday is going ahead but I really do not want to go)
Can anyone offer and advice as I cannot believe TUI can get away with charging these large amendment charges.

sparelogin

Your choices are to pay to move it, go on the existing holiday or to cancel. They've given you the option to move it, which is more than they need to do.

The higher costs of moving bookings later shouldn't be coming as any kind of a surprise at this stage.

ess0two

Hardly surprising, its the same for any booking of this type

Westin

TUI Airways is the operating airline of the air side of the holiday you booked with Friendship Travel .  Is that correct?

It appears that you are due to travel on what would be potentially the first date that international leisure travel may be possible. If you wish to change your travel then unfortunately for your date of departure normal booking conditions would apply.  It might be worth rereading these to see what options and flexibility you have. If you had been going the day before the flight would have been cancelled and a refund or amendment possible.  An unfortunate cut off date for you.

The TUI flight ticket rules are likely to be restrictive and  probably non-refundable.  I suspect most of the extra charge quoted is actually for the purchase of a complete new ticket.

You may be better off waiting for now to see if the 17 May date changes, or if nearer the date that TUI are more flexible with their fare conditions and rules.   You will have to deal with Friendship Travel as your package holiday tour operator rather than TUI Airways.

Sandie11

Westin said:

TUI Airways is the operating airline of the air side of the holiday you booked with Friendship Travel .  Is that correct?

It appears that you are due to travel on what would be potentially the first date that international leisure travel may be possible. If you wish to change your travel then unfortunately for your date of departure normal booking conditions would apply.  It might be worth rereading these to see what options and flexibility you have. If you had been going the day before the flight would have been cancelled and a refund or amendment possible.  An unfortunate cut off date for you.

The TUI flight ticket rules are likely to be restrictive and  probably non-refundable.  I suspect most of the extra charge quoted is actually for the purchase of a complete new ticket.

You may be better off waiting for now to see if the 17 May date changes, or if nearer the date that TUI are more flexible with their fare conditions and rules.   You will have to deal with Friendship Travel as your package holiday tour operator rather than TUI Airways.

Yes it is Thompson airlines on my booking, whereas the holiday is booked through Friendship Travel
I have read TUI conditions and it does say I would have to pay 70% amendment fees if I want to change, however I really do not want to go as there is so much uncertainty still, unfortunately I was due to pay the full balance of the holiday yesterday, so it looks as if I will have to cancel and just lose my £500 deposit as I do not want to take the chance of paying then having to go if the trip goes ahead.
Thank you for all help, I was hoping there could be some way I had not thought of to get out of this.

TELLIT01

How much dearer is the flight in May next year?  You can't expect the airline to allow you to move dates, when they are intending to fly this year, without you paying the extra cost of the new flight.

TUI may cancel the trip themselves unless they get confirmation from Government that they will definitely be able to fly on the 17th May.

Sandie11

TELLIT01 said:

How much dearer is the flight in May next year?  You can't expect the airline to allow you to move dates, when they are intending to fly this year, without you paying the extra cost of the new flight.

TUI may cancel the trip themselves unless they get confirmation from Government that they will definitely be able to fly on the 17th May.

My point really is all other airlines are allowing customers to move flights with a small fee, TUI want to charge me £500 to move the flight.

Caz3121

The size of the fee will depend on the terms and conditions. Some airlines are waiving the change fee and only charging the fare difference...this may be small or it may be large...what is the fare difference between what you paid and the new dates?

lea2012

There's a couple of factors to consider here:
1) is the cruise part of the holiday going ahead? Most cruise lines have paused operations until much later in the year. Just because travel restrictions could be lifted doesn't mean that cruise ships will be able to sail packed with guests so I would check that first. If its cancelled you should be eligible for a full refund including the flight if it's a package holiday? 

2) are the amendment fees coming from TUI or Friendship Travel? Do you have breakdown of these? If it's simply an increase in fare from this year to next then unfortunately you would be stuck with paying it. If its an actual amendment fee then I would be hoping for some leniency in this and asking for them to consider waiving amendment fees. (not the increase in air fare though - that you should pay) 

3) have you called TUI yourself or checked on their website about changing it? Have Friendship Travel given you a supplier ref number or flight reservation number at all so you could perhaps log in and make any amends yourself? I thought TUI had been quite good with amendments so I'd be surprised that they aren't willing to waiver amendment fees at this time, if that is what the fees are. 

Sandie11

lea2012 said:

There's a couple of factors to consider here:
1) is the cruise part of the holiday going ahead? Most cruise lines have paused operations until much later in the year. Just because travel restrictions could be lifted doesn't mean that cruise ships will be able to sail packed with guests so I would check that first. If its cancelled you should be eligible for a full refund including the flight if it's a package holiday? 

2) are the amendment fees coming from TUI or Friendship Travel? Do you have breakdown of these? If it's simply an increase in fare from this year to next then unfortunately you would be stuck with paying it. If its an actual amendment fee then I would be hoping for some leniency in this and asking for them to consider waiving amendment fees. (not the increase in air fare though - that you should pay) 

3) have you called TUI yourself or checked on their website about changing it? Have Friendship Travel given you a supplier ref number or flight reservation number at all so you could perhaps log in and make any amends yourself? I thought TUI had been quite good with amendments so I'd be surprised that they aren't willing to waiver amendment fees at this time, if that is what the fees are. 

Hi
Yes at the moment the cruise is going ahead, it is a small sailing boat of around 9 passengers.
Yes the amendment fees are coming from TUI for the flights as they had to be paid up front, therefore their terms say as amending withing something like 42-59 days the charges are 70% of the cost i paid (the flight was for 17th May). Friendship travel did say they have contacted TUI about this as they have many customers in the same situation, but they have said TUI will not budge.

mattyprice4004

Sandie11 said:

Can anyone help, I have booked a holiday through Friendship travel for a part cruise part holiday for 17th May, the flights had to be paid for upfront through TUI, I have asked if I could move this holiday to next year, but they have told me that TUI will charge me an additional £500 to amend these flights, there charges are 70% of the flight cost.
Apparently no other airline are doing this.
This seems so unfair , and I will therefore have to cancel my holiday and lose my £500 deposit. (at the moment the holiday is going ahead but I really do not want to go)
Can anyone offer and advice as I cannot believe TUI can get away with charging these large amendment charges.

I've highlighted the important part. 
You're choosing to change the holiday, so you'll need to pick up the tab - the best you can hope for is that TUI cancel or reschedule the trip.